Pole cable terminal



May 957 v1950 J. s. BAKER 2,507,363

POLE CABLE TERMINAL Filed Oct/30, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet l C) (DH 2 INVENTOR.

G BY ,5a/@

j@ @a Mf veg@ ay 9, 195o Filed Oct. 30, 1946 J. s. BAKER POLE CABLE TERMINAL 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 M51? 9, l950 J. s. BAKER 2,507,363

v POLE CABLE TERMINAL Filed Oct. 30, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 May 9, 1950 J. s. BAKER 2,507,363

POLE CABLE TERMINAL` Filed Oct. 30, 1,946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR.

j@ Zwww atented May 9, 195

POLE CABLE TERMINAL John S. Baker, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Cool; Electric Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application October 30, 1946, Serial No. 706,529

(Cl. F75-30) 11 Claims.

This invention relates to cable terminal boxes and high potential protection in connection therewith for the lines, such as subscribers telephone lines, entering the boxes.

Such terminal boxes are usually mounted on telephone poles or other supports and may coniprise an insulating plate or base having binding posts or connecting studs extending there through. The cable comes into the box at the back of the plate and its wires are fanned out and respectively connected, usually by soldering to the rear ends of the said binding posts o1' studs. The outer ends of the studs on the face of the plate are threaded and are provided with binding nuts to which drop wires, so called, may be connected and lead to the subscribers stations. A sheet metal housing surrounds the plate and a removable cover is provided therefor over the binding posts or studs at the front. By removing or opening the cover the front face of the plate and the studs with their binding nuts are exposed for connecting the drop wires thereto or making any desired changes in the connections therewith.

It is frequently desired to furnish the subscriber lines connected with the box, or some of them, with high potential arrester or discharger protection. The need for it may not be apparent until after the original installation. Or subscribers may be added, or disconnected.

It is an object of this invention conveniently to provide such high potential protection in connection with a terminal box of the type described whereby any or all lines served by the boxmay be so furnished with the desired protection.

In carrying out the invention, advantage is taken of the bank of binding posts or studs projecting forwardly from the face of the insulating base. These are symmetrically arranged, two to a line, to take care of as many lines as the terminal box and cable accommodate, usually 6 to 26 pairs. The drop wires connect at the sides of the studs or posts and extend laterally out through the side fanning strips, leaving the forward ends of the studs or posts exposed and facing forwardly.

Accordingly, provision is made for operatively connecting the lightning arrester-s or high potential dischargers to these exposed ends of the l0 Fig. 4 is a front elevation of one side of the binding posts during the time the box is in regular use and service.

To accomplish this phase of the invention in the preferred manner, a unit arrester holder 2 of the ends of the group of binding posts or studs, said plate having arresters or dischargers mounted thereon opposite the ends of said studs when the plate is in iinal position and operatively abutting and engaging said stud ends,

so that each line connected to the studs is suitably protected by an arrester or discharger.

The unit plate holder may be removably mounted to give access to the binding posts or studs and the dischargers or arresters may be. individually and detachably mounted on the unit place for providing protection to all or any number of the lines desired which are connected to the studs.

The dischargers themselves are preferably oi" to operatively engage the studs when the box ls closed for use, but in this instance it is preferably readily attachable and detachable to the body of the box with or without change therein, whereby the box and itscover may be standard.-

ized and can readily be converted into a prou tected box by adding the unit protector.

These and other objects and advantages will more fully appear from the description and claims tc follow, in connection with the drawings, which illustrate, by way of example but not of limitaa tion, an embodiment of the invention, and in which- Figure l is a sectional plan view o the box Y.

taken on the line I-l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the box with' certain parts broken away to show the interior construction;

a plane represented by line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

box with the cover removed; y

plate;

Fig. 6 is a, vertical section of the same on the I in the form of a plate is located over or in front l line 5 5 of Fig. 5;

escasas Fig. 7 is a cross-section of the button arrester or discharger taken on the line l-l of Fig. 5, said button being shown on an enlarged scale;

Figs. 8 and 9 are, respectively, line terminai end and side views of the said arrester or discharger and on a similar enlarged scale;

Fig. 10 is a separate View of the channel mem ber employed 'atboth the top and the bottom of the box;

Fig. 11 is a perspective View of the sliding platek used at the bottom of the box to cover the opening of the drop channel on each side; and

Fig. 12 is a bottom end viewof the terminal box Without the cover and showing said sliding plates in position thereon.

Referring t0 these drawings, the terminal box may include a sheet metal housing ..bo.dy2, V'preierabl,1 of pressed steel, and a cover Z l. The body has forwardly extending side edges 22 and a rearwardly formed central portion 2 3, forming a'ablechamben'and which may be secured, as by spotwelding or otherwise, to'a suitablernount ing bracket 24 adapted to be secured in any wellknown way to a telephone pole or other support.

insulating mounting,4 base or face plate 25 is secured to the inside of thehousing 2!! over and forming' the front of the cable chan'iber mentioned.- Corner screw boltsr 2 5 and vintermediate boltsz'! (Figs. 1 and3) along the sides of the plate maybe used to secure them together. A thin sheet or layer of cushioning material 23 may be interposed between the plate 2 5 and housing 2%,

This plate'25 forms the support for the binding posts or connecting studs 2S between the cable wiresat the back and thedrop wires en the front leading'to the subscribers stations. They are preferably arranged in verticalrows, las indicated, in any number, according to the sizeof the terrnirial,Y At the back the 'plateZ is preferably verticallygrooved, as at 3 to accommodate the squared heads of the studs 2e to prevent them from turning or gettingA out v of position. The fronty face of the plate is formed with raised bosses or stud mountingss l, through which the ystuds 29 pass and are secured therein Vby suitable washers and n uts 52. l3i r1 iing nuts 3 3 andsuitable washersfon'theforward threaded ends of studs 2 9, together withthenuts 32, ,form the terminals to which the drop'wires are securedv on the face ortheplate 2 5. The raisedstud mcuntings elimn inatesurfac'eleakage.

T hefrear projecting endsof these studs 2Q are formedto receivethefends of the cable wires which maybe tiedthereto b yfaV half liitchand soldered in place or otherwise permanently cnnec'ted thereto. The cable 35 itself" may be brought into the` cablechamber through a suitablefst'rap at the lupper"endoi the Ahracket` 2 fi and through the recessed openingy Sii,b which recess may be lled with solder to form a tight and strong vibration-,proof connection between the cable and cablechamber.

After the cable conductors or wires` are thus fanned out and secured. respectively, to the studs 29, the cable chamber may be filled with any suitab1e mo lten insulating compound which npon hardening serves to maintainthe connections in their proper positionsand insureag'ainst shorts .and groundsandthe ntranceof moisture. Such ..nlling of the cable lchamber may taire place threes@ se .aperiurelrgl 39111 the .beck Wall 23, .which after filling may be covered by almetal I between the edge members 22 ofthe husing y20 and is provided with forwardly projecting side tanning strips 39 paralleling said edges Z2 and spaced therefrom to form vertical side drop-wire therebetween. These fanning strips are provided with tanning holes fili through which the drop wires from the binding studs 29 may pass laterally into the side channels and thence down the channels and out of Vthe box at the bottom.

The face plate 25 and the farming strips 3S arepreferably of any suitable insulation material, with the back grooves 3D, the front bosses 3| and Vthe anning and bolt holes all formed therein.

Across the topand bottom of the face plate are the channel bars ttl, lil, preferably alike and 1' shown separately'in Fig. 10. The inner flange 42 is provided with bolt holes 43 for the bolts Z, and cuter flange M is extended at the ends substantially to the edge members 22 of the housing 2B. The web is providedwith holes d5 which in the upper position are not used but in the bottom positionthey'acccmmodate the screws 46 of cover slides el attached to theouter face of the web and which are adapted` to cover so much of the bottom endsof the side channels as are not taken up by the drop' wires passing therethrough. This bottom end of thebox is not covered by the cover of the box when in closed position, so that the slides il or weatherguardsv'are employed to ,exclude snow, rain, dirt and insects at the drop wire openings. 'Y U The reason for providing the holes 45 in the upper channel di Vnot only for manufacturing convenience ybut sometimes Ythe cable stub '35 comes frcm'the bottcni instead oifrom the top as shown. In suchy case the headV or housing may ce reversed, the weather "guards M are'then removed and applied to thethn lower channel d l, utilizing the holesftherein Yfor the screwsd, y. since the dropV wires wouldA` still emerge from the bottom of thel box.

This reversibility also ,accounts for the 'F- shaped bayonet slots 48 in the mounting bracket 24 (Fig. 3)` in case a detachable mounting bracket is employed, thesaid, slots slipping over Vthe screws the fixed r'itrtion ofA the bracket attached to the support and down to the upper ends of the slots regardlessk ofwhichend of the housing may be uppermost.

The terminalbox in vthis condition as so far `iescribed, with a suitable l sheet metal'cover preferably adapted to slipdown over the same, may be used without varresterl or discharger protectionwhere such protection is not desired." In fact, heretofore, such boxes Yin' general were known to 'the art as unprotected cable 'terminals Yand were listed, sold and used as such. If protection was desired, a dificrent, more chomplicated and more expensive box'hadto'be'installed' The cover 2l shown comprises a pressedsheet metal plated!! 605 extending overthe iront of the box, with side or edge members''with inturnededges 5| at the rear ci vthebox extending nearly to thebottom, anda top edge memberl 52 ilanged at the yedges andiftting down'over and secured by ,without reconstru c t'ion,Y undue trouble, iiiconvenience or expense or', v if installed, 'without dis-V turbance of the installation, and, further, so that any or all the lines connected with the terminal may be so protected, or the protection changed from some of the lines to others as conditions may require, and that the same may be carried out as part of the routine servicing of the installations without special skill or special tools or the application of heat, which might be inconvenient at the top of a pole, for instance, a unit protector support may be applied to the face of the box over the bank of binding posts or studs, said support being supplied with arresters or dischargers, preferably individually attachable and detachable, which when the supu port is in place over the bank of studs are brought into operative relation and iirm contact with the respective binding studs. The corresponding lines are thus protected, the arresters or dischargers, of course, being suitably grounded through the frame of the box, its supporting bracket, etc. The unit support being readily removable from its operative position with respect to the studs, the latter are made readily accessible for any desired purpose in the usual way.

This unit support, in the present instance in the form of a rigid plate or panel D, is shown separately in Figs. 5 and 6 and as installed in the box in Figs. 1 to 4.

This plate El) carries on its inner face the dischargers or arresters El, preferably one opposite or in front of each binding stud 29, and with its outwardly spring-pressed line terminal 62 firmly pressed against the end of the stud 29 when the unit plate is in operative position in the box.

The preferred form of arrester or discharger is shown on an enlarged scale in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. It is of the button type and comprises a cylindrical metal casing 9i, which may be knurled on its outer surface and provided with a threaded stem 63 adapted to screw into the plate 69 and solidly seat the casing on said plate. Suitable carbon disc electrodes 64 and 55 with an interposed dielectric ring E@ of suitabln material are seated in the bottom of the circular recess in the casing 6l and provide the spark gap therefor.

A Bellville spring consisting of dished metal washers 6l, heat-treated to spring temper, are grouped on electrode 95 and press at the outer end on the head or iiange 98 of the plunger line terminal 62 of the device. A relatively thick insulating sleeve t9 surrounds the spring ill', bears at its inner end on the said ring Ss and forms an insulating lining for the metal cylindrical portion 10 of the cap l! oi the arrester. This cap is threaded, as indicated, to screw tightly into casing (il and engages at its inwardly extending outer end portion with and over the peripheral portion oi a heavy insulating washer or ring 12 on the plunger terminal b2. This washer peripherally engages the end of insulating sleeve 69. The terminal plunger head 58 is normally pressed against the inside of washer 72 by the spring The plunger 52 closely ts but freely slides axially in the washer l2 against such spring pressure. The cap 'H has an en larged opening through which the plunger passes without contact therewith. Radial slits or grooves '.'3 may be formed in the end of the cap for the application. of a suitably termed wrench or tool for tightening or loosening the same. When the parts are assembled as shown and cap 'H tightened, the parts are all firmly held together, the cap as well as lining sleevev 69 engaging and clamping the ring 5B, and the spring B1 being under comparatively strong presii sure but yieldable for a short distance underl greater pressure. This ensures good contact of the line terminals 62 with each of the studs 29 even though the latter may vary in height slightly or the terminals vary slightly in their projections owing to manufacturing tolerances or other causes. The construction of the arrester or discharger is thus most sturdy, the relatively large plunger is not liable to stick or get out of order even by more or less side thrusts on its end, and its large size ensures good contact as a line terminal with the ends of the studs 29 even though precise axial alignment of the two may not obtain. Its compactness, that shown in the drawing being in one form or adaptation thereof scarcely three-fourths inch in outside diameter of the casing, enables the same readily to be grouped on the support 5U, as shown, to correspond to the connecting studs 29 on the face plate 25.

With the plate or unit support 69 thus equipped with all or any number of arresters or dischargers 6l, it is applied to the face of the box in such manner as to cause the individual arresters to make operative connection with the respective lines to be protected. Such connection is preferably by making the line terminals 92 physically contact and strongly press upon the ends of the connecting or binding posts or studs 29 in order to make suitable electric contact therewith. The unit support is preferably so supported as to be readily removable from in front of the bank of studs for convenient access to the same when occasion requires. In a copending application, Serial No. 786,242, filed November 15, 1947, as adivisionofapplication,Serial No. 693,796, led August 29, 1946, I have shown the unit plate and saine arresters attached to the inside of the cover of the box. In the present instance it is preferred to attach the unit holder to the box independently of the cover. It is realized that various ways may be employed to support and operate the unit without departing lfrom the scope or principle of the invention, and it is the intention to claim the same generically in said divisional application. In the present instance it is preferred also to so attach the unit protector holder that no change may be required in the box. Thus, the box and the protectors be handled, sold and installed together or as separate standard units to be combined when and if desired.

Thus, one end, the upper end preferably, of supporting plate Eil is bent at an oiset, as shown at 75 and l5. The end lli may be readily in serted under the forward ilange of the channel cross-bar di at the top of the box, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4 particularly, tipping or swinging the plate outwardly at its lower end to a greater or less extent, the more readily to insert the same, the oiset 'l5 providing a limiting guide in such positioning of the plate in such insertion. Then by pressing the lower end of the plate 9@ in to ward the box, the arrester line terminals 52 are brought into firm and resilient contact with the gamas' Thesesliding-catches, as seen in Fig-s. 5 Aand v'6, are secured to and spaced from the plate 6D by the headed lugs or pinsfr'li on the plate working in suitable slots Hlin the latch bars Tl, and by screws V3t1-slidable in vertical slots 8| (Figs. 2 and 4) inthe plate til. When in latched position, the screws 8G may beI tightened to bind theplatc 60 tightly in position.

The lower end .of/the plate t@ may be provided with a metal bar 32 'o-nthe inside '-to stiften the same and to resten the top of the ange of channel '131, and a lightm'etal strip 83 vin a plane at right angles to the plate iii to ll in the space across the bottom of the box between the cover and channel flange fri, said strip having a portien out out and bent up, as at 84?, to formy a flange to secure the same tothe plate Sil. The bar 82 andA the flange E@ may be secured to the plate tl; as by spot welding or otherwise.

Agu'ide lug V85 (see Fig. 57 may be secured on the inside of plate 5G near the center and on the inside of same to ensure the proper positioning vertically ofthe plate Elbefore the catches i? can be closed', said lug strikingth'e top of the lia-nge of channel lil ifthe plate Sil drops below its proper position. Said lug also holds the plate 60 in 'its vertical position while the catches Ti areV being lworked upon to close the same. The spring plungers. or line terminals 62 in the arrestersare allf compressed-'by the studs E9' when` theplate'lis in itsrnal' closed position, so that it takes considerable eiort to hold and close the same;

The arrester plate 95 may be provided on its outer iace and along' its vertical edges with spring strips 86, Figs. i to 4, and', one on. either side, spaced therefrom exceptA at the Vends, which are slotted and secured by rivets- 8T to said plate; Thesev springs press stiiy against the inside of the cover when the latter is in place, to hold it tightly, in positionv on the box. The end portions of the springs are inclined to enable the cover readily'to Ybe slipped thereover. The slots at theA rivets permit the elongation of the springs when compressed. by the. cover.

The cover may haveV a suitable chain 88 attached thereto conveniently to suspendit froman; adjacent pin; bool: or object when servicing the box;

The spark gap of the-arrester or'discharger is, ofcourse, across from one carbon electrode to the other, the electrode 'S5 beingv conduotively connected through the spring El withtheplunger` line terminal 62 and `insulated from the cap "H and casing 61|-, and the electrode te beingconductively connected with the casing 6!- and' grounded thereby andY by the plate it and box Whileinsulated fromithe terminal-S2. rThus, any

subscribers lines connected by Ydrop wires to the:

studs 29 receive high potential protecticnthrough the corresponding arresrs or dischargers.

In this way a 'so-called unprotected terminal boxY may beoonverted into a protected box and preierablyfwithout change inthe latter and in.

such a way as not tointeriere with the normal manner of use, installation, care of same, and connection and disconnection oi linestherewith. Moreover, any or all lines connected with the box may be so protected, the arresters or. dischargers being readily and individually Vconnected to or disconnected from the supporting plate 1 by the threaded stud 63. IIhe arrestersor dischargers being self-contained, compact, `completely enf closed and of rugged construction, they arefnot subject to breakage or getting .out of adjustment,j

by rough handling and may be safely carried in any number in'workmens pockets or 'k-its, 'ready for use sliouldoccasion require.

Without further elaboration, the ioregoingwil-l so fully explain the gist of this invention that" others may, lby applying'current knowledge, readily ada-pt the same for use under varying-conditions ci service, without eliminating certain'- features lwhich may properly be said to constitute the-essential items of novelty involved', whichv items are intended to be dened and secured-by the 'following claims.

I -claim:

1. -A cable terminal comprising a housing-andi' a face plate therein, a bank of connecting fstuds on said faceplate for the lines radiating therefrom, said housing including a bar having anY inwardly extending flange at the top andr the bottom Yof said face plate, an arrester ycarryingy plate having one end `'engaging under the 'Hangeof one such bar and latching means at the 'other y end to engageunder the ange of the other bar, and-one or more detachable arresters carried onsaid plate opposite said studs, each arrester 'hav'-V ing a springepressed line terminal making abut#- ting pressure Contact with the end of the stud of the line to be protected thereby when the arrester plate is so secured in operative position.

2. A cable terminal comprising a housingl and a face plate therein, a bank ofconnecting studs on said' face plate for the lines radiating therefrom, said housing including channel membersat the top and bottom of said plate, an arresterl plate over the studs having its upper end 'oiset' to t under the iiange ofthe upper channel, sliding latches on the inside of the other end of'said arresterV plate to lengage under the ilange ofthe lower channel, button arresters adapted tobe dewr `a housing, a base therein, a bank of connecting! studsr on said baseaior outside lines, an arresterv panelremovably carried by the housing in front of the said bank. ofY studs, said panel having provision for carrying removable arresters for the"V individual lines, one or more arresters on said-` panel, each arrester vhaving-a line terminal opera-v tively engaging Vthe stud` of the line to be pro;- tected thereby, the removability of the panel giving ready access tothe studs and arresters andi the removability of the arresters enabling morev or less of the lines to be protected, and a cover for the housingr and panel separably removable from the latter two elements.

4r A terminal'ior a plurality of lines comprisinga housing, anfinsulating'plate therein, a bank of connecting studs on' the plate for the lines'tothe outside, anarrestei1 panel facing studs and having provision thereon for arrestare opposite said-studs, one or more arresters onsaid pan'eL. 4ea'ch'of said arresters having aiorwardly spring pressed line terminal, means forV pressing the panel-bodily'toward the studs and securing it tov thevhousingin that position, the said terminals contacting Ythe corresponding studs and being` Vcompressedtherebyto form goodcontact there-vr with'.` in such attachment of the panel to the housingV to provide arrester protection for the.- corresponding line or. lines, and a cover for the housing and panel. independentlyv removable; fromV both. I

5. A terminal structure comprising a housing and a face plate therein having connecting studs for the radiating lines, an arrester unit therefor including a readily detachable panel secured to the housing over the studs, said panel having means for carrying individual arresters for the lines, one or more arresters on said panel, each arrester having a line terminal operatively engaging the stud of the line to be protected thereby, and an enclosing cover for the housing and panel independently removable from the latter two elements.

6. A terminal construction comprising a housing and a base plate therein, a bank of connecting studs on said base plate for the lines radiating therefrom, said housing including members at opposite edges, an arrester panel over the bank of studs and readily attachable to and detachable from said members, said arrester panel having means for carrying a bank of detachable arresters opposite the said studs, and one or more arresters in said means on said arrester panel, each arrester having a resiliently supported line terminal operatively engaging the stud of the line to be protected thereby when the panel is attached in position to the said members.

'7. An arrester unit for a plurality of lines having a bank of connecting studs for the lines with a framework about the same and a removable cover fitting over said bank, comprising a supporting arrester panel adapted to be positioned in front of said bank and adjacently over the said studs and to be detachably secured to said framework independently of the cover, said panel having means ior carrying individual oletachable arresters for the said lines, and one or more arresters carried thereby, each arrester having a line terminal operatively engaging the stud of the line to be protected thereby when the panel is so positioned and secured to the framework.

8. An arrester unit for a line terminal structure, said structure having a supporting base with a bank of connecting studs thereon for a plurality of radiating lines, said unit comprising a panel adapted to be removably carried by said base in front of said stud bank, a plurality of detachable arresters on said panel arranged in bank form corresponding to said stud bank, and a spring line terminal for each arrester operatively contacting the stud of the corresponding line by the mounting of the panel on said base.

9. A terminal structure comprising a housing, a base plate therein, a bank of connecting studs on said base plate for radiating lines, an arrester panel detachably secured to the housing over the said studs, said panel having means adjacent the said studs for detachably carrying arresters for the lines, one or more arresters on said panel, each arrester having a line terminal operatively engaging the stud of the line to be protected thereby and another terminal for grounding the arrester, and a cover for the housing and panel independently removable from both.

10. A terminal structure comprising a housing, a base plate therein, a bank of connecting studs on said base plate ior radiating lines, an arrester panel detachably secured to the housing over the said studs, said panel having means adjacent the said studs for detachably carrying arresters for the lines, one or more arresters on said panel, each arrester having a line terminal operatively engaging the stud of the line to be protected thereby and a ground terminal, means in connection with said panel for grounding said ground terminals of the arresters, and a cover for the housing and panel independently removable from both.

1l. A terminal structure comprising a housing, a base plate therein, a bank of connecting studs on said base plate for radiating lines, a metal arrester panel detachably secured to the housing over the said studs, said panel having means adjacent the said studs for detachably carrying arresters for the lines, one or more arresters on said panel, each arrester having a line terminal operatively engaging the stud of the line to be protected thereby, the other terminal of the arrester being grounded by said carrying means when attached to the said panel, and a cover for the housing and panel independently removable from both.

JOHN S. BAKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Nam Date 979,292 Harner Dec. 20, 1910 1,150,926 Britton Aug. 24, 1915 2,232,566 Shroyer Feb. 18, 1941 

